The Canterbury Tales

by Geoffrey Chaucer

The Tabard at Southwark

The Pilgrims are on their way to the shrine of St Thomas a Becket.

The General Prologue http://academics.vmi.edu/english/audio/GP

-Opening.html Middle English Written in the 1380s Frame story Church people, nobility, common people,

tradesmen

The Knight

The Squire

Courtly Love

Stories of Courtly Love were inspired by French Troubadours.

They were a backlash to Beowulf and a result of a time of short-lived peace in England and France after the Dark Ages.

The church, of course, objected to its principals and existence.

•Too much emphasis on earthly love•Too strong a female role

•Love is like a sickness, with symptoms like sleeplessness, paleness, lack of hunger, etc

•Knight serves his lady with the same dedication which he serves his king

•Knight’s love inspires him to do great deeds to win the love of his lady

•Lady is usually in control of the relationship

•Usually not between a husband and wife

Courtly Love Code of Conduct

The Prioress

The Friar

The Monk

The Wife of Bath